President Irfaan Ali has given his assent to the recently passed bill to decriminalise cross-dressing, in line with a more that two-year-old Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) judgment.
The Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) (Amendment) Act 2021 removes the law prohibiting cross-dressing.
The law was challenged by a group of Guyanese transgender women, who contended that was unconstitutionally vague and contravened their right to freedom of expression. The CCJ found in their favour in 2018, necessitating the change.
The government passed the bill in the National Assembly last Tuesday morning, despite objections to it by some members of the main opposition coalition APNU+AFC, who argued that it was an affront to their Christian values.
